Today is AB’s birthday. But he is not here. I miss him badly. I miss last year’s celebration. I miss AB’s expression after those midnight surprises. He is such a kid sometimes. So I decide to give myself a treat. I wake up, I drink my tea, I take a lavish bath, I dress myself up in a pretty pink dress and I go out. I hire a cab and head for the City Centre with no plan in mind.
It is still just the start of the day, so not many shops are open yet. Luckily Landmark is open. And they are giving offer. You get three books for the price of two. I buy 4 books (Tiger hills, Flight of the hilsa, Fifty shades of Grey and Fifty shades darker) after two hours. I get 2 books (The girl with the dragon tattoo and Fifty shades freed) free.
I go to CCD and buy a coffee. I
pick up Tiger Hills (Buy it here) and start reading. I read and read sipping my
coffee occasionally until my stomach grumbles in protest. I ignore and continue
to read. My stomach grumbles again. This time louder. Embarrassed, I give up. Its
two o’clock already! Lunch time.
I am in mood for more caffeine.
Today I plan to spoil myself. So I buy a dark chocolate fantasy. As I relish
the taste of the pastry, a kid who looks like a Barbie doll, stares at me and then at
my food. I close my eyes as the chocolate melts in my mouth just to show her off
that I could eat whatever I liked. She stares at me hard. I act some more as if
I am eating pure bliss. Finally unable to control herself she tucks at her
mother’s pallu. Her modern health conscious mom says a stern “No”.
Almost on the verge of tears,
the girl shows me her tongue. I show her back my chocolate coated tongue. She runs
away. Satisfied, I finish my pastry.
It’s almost three now. I visit
INOX to check my luck. Indeed. There’s just one free seat. The Avengers. So be
it. I buy a coke. More caffeine.
The guy beside me turns out a
little too well mannered. He opens my seat for me. I thank him and sit down. I
sip my coke and watch the Ads playing.
AB calls. He is up already. I speak
with him for few minutes. As I disconnect the call, the gentleman beside me
feels obliged to ask, “Are you from Kolkata?”
“Yes.” I reply.
It turns out the gentleman had
been in Kolkata for three years and likes Bongs very much. I say a polite “Thank
you.” The gentleman is encouraged and offers popcorn to me. I refuse.
Thankfully the movie starts.
Special Effects from the word “Go”
blow me away. I cannot help but laugh at the remembrance of a Bollywood film
that claimed to have special effects that could match Hollywood standard. More
on that later maybe.
During the interval I am more
careful. I bury myself in the book again. The gentleman clears his throat. I
ignore. Again. I ignore. Again. I look up.
He wants to know why I have
come alone to watch an action film. I ask if that is a problem. He advices good heartedly, “A girl must never watch such violent films. It would wipe away
their softness of the heart.” I give him a dry smile and go back to my book.
At the end I am the first one
to be out of the theater. But the gentleman catches up. He apologizes for being
rude. I want to turn a Bob Biswas and say, “Nomoskar. Ek minute” to him. But
instead I just say, “Nomoskar” and run away.
AB laughs over phone. I sulk.
AB wants to give a gift to me on his birthday. So I swipe his credit card and
buy a pair of jeans.
I buy a plate of Chicken Momo
for dinner. When I reach home Dance India Dance is playing on TV. Another
lavish bath and my date with myself comes to an end. Follow me.
